This invention relates to an improvement in a drain trough system generally associated with the eaves of a roof of a building, and is more particularly concerned with a device which facilitates the mounting and maintenance of drain troughs.
Most residential-type houses or dwellings are constructed with pitched roofs, the sloped nature of which prevents the accumulation of water thereon. Beneath the lower extremity of a pitched roof, generally referred to as the eaves, there is positioned a drain trough or gutter, the purpose of which is to catch water which runs off the roof, and channel it to a downspout which leads the water away from the foundation of the house.
In the course of time, such drain troughs tend to accumulate debris such as fallen leaves, which obstructs the trough, thereby rendering it ineffective for its intended purpose. Also, in the course of time, the trough, usually of metal construction, may require maintenance such as scraping and/or painting. The servicing of such troughs for the purposes of cleaning or painting generally requires the use of a ladder, which makes the task difficult and often perilous.
Although a number of approaches have been previously disclosed for simplifying the servicing of eaves-mounted drain troughs, none have been completely successful in operation or sufficiently practical to enjoy widespread commercial utilization. Structurally modified drain trough systems have been proposed, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 538,108, 4,117,635 and 4,116,008 which enable the trough to be tilted or inverted so that its contents will dump out. However, some of said prior systems require use of costly non-standard, specifically designed drain troughs, and some involve intricate mechanical features susceptible to malfunction caused by said debris. Also, their installation onto the eaves of a house may be difficult, particularly in the case of modern houses wherein the roof overhangs by not more than about two inches the upper peripheral wooden trim panels of the underlying walls, said panels being generally referred to as the fascia.
The use of hinged brackets to mount a standard drain trough to the fascia in a manner permitting inversion of said trough to discharge its contents has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,014,074; 4,309,792; and 4,413,449. Although the functionality of such hinged bracket is unaffected by the presence of debris, improvements appear needed in the ease of fabrication of such hinged brackets and in their durability and ease of attachment to the drain trough. Earlier brackets have had to be attached to the trough by way of penetrative fasteners applied to lower portions of the trough. Such manner of attachment is conducive to water leakage through the trough and resultant corrosive degradation.
It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide an improved hinged bracket for use in mounting a conventional drain trough to the fascia of a building.
It is another object of this invention to provide a bracket as in the foregoing object adapted to permit said trough to be inverted so as to discharge its contents.
It is a further object to provide a bracket of the aforesaid nature which, in comparison with prior devices, is of more sturdy construction, less costly to fabricate, and easier to install.
These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.